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Theories of Poverty

Introduction

Poverty constantly receives worldwide attention particularly in every program that relates

to development since it is an age-long happening, which besets humanity in their effort towards

advancement or growth. Trying to define poverty is complicated because poverty is a cultural

phenomenon, which is multidimensional. It goes beyond economic spheres as well as includes an

individual’s capacity to participate in social and political life. Hence, the paper identifies

theories, which explain why the poor remain poor in society.

According to the World Bank, poverty is the economic state where individuals do not

have enough income to acquire different minimal health services levels, clothing, education,

housing, and food, which individuals commonly identify as essential to ensuring an adequate

living standard (World Bank). In this regard, it is one’s inability to buy necessities that custom or

nature requires. Various idea streams have emerged to shape as well as inform the discourse on

poverty theories worldwide. The theories are present to explain and expose numerous poverty

dimensions including their causes. Cultural or individualism (blame the victim) as well as

structural (blame the system) approaches are the different classes of the poverty theory, which

offer critical poverty analysis. Additionally, poverty may mean a condition or state where an
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individual or community does not have the financial resources as well as the essentials necessary

to have a minimum living standard and well-being, which the society considers acceptable. The

state of poverty within the United States relates to people who fail to meet a particular threshold

level that the Department of Health and Human Services set.

Cynthia Duncan explains poverty and what makes the poor, poor in her book “Worlds

Apart.” Duncan talks about Gray Mountain, which is a White, remote, working-class mill town

in New England. Different from Blackhill's mine owners and Dahlia’s farmers, the mill owners

never realized social division from other county residents (Duncan). Even though their town has

a culture of mill owner paternalistic kindness toward the area, they lived in town and their

children attended the public schools. Duncan admires the “equality and civic engagement” (p.

188) in Gray Mountain. Her tone has a different critique degree as she has when describing

Dahlia and Blackhill.

In the United States, the DHHS (Department of Health and Human Services) issues

poverty guidelines to determine the poverty levels of households based on the persons in the

home. The poverty guidelines are updated each year based on inflation rates. A specified dollar

amount is considered the minimum necessary to meet the basic needs of a family. In the case

study provided, the household is of one. According to the guidelines, home of one should be

earning an average of $12,140. This, therefore, means that this household in the case study is

above the poverty line. The family receives $2800 per month, which translates into $33,600

annually (Information on government benefits).

There are powerful economic and historical forces, which keep the poor down; as well as

different individuals exist who help in the harsh business, many of them unconsciously. Political
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and sociological reasons exist that explains why people cannot see poverty, and some

misconceptions and prejudices literally blind the eyes. The latter ought to be comprehended if

any individual is to make the fundamental act of will and intellect for the poor to be noticed.

Often, people define poverty in either absolute or relative terms. Absolute poverty

estimates poverty to how much money is required to meet an individual's basic needs, which

includes shelter, clothing, and food. The idea of absolute poverty does not concern the broader

life quality issues or the general inequality level within the current society. In this regard, the

concept does not identify that people have significant cultural and social needs. This, as well as

other comparable criticisms, has allowed the development of relative poverty. Relative poverty

identifies poverty following people's economic status in society: individuals are poor when they

fall under the prevailing living standards within a societal context. An essential criticism

regarding both concepts is that the concepts are primarily regarded with consumption and

income.

First, the pathological and individualistic approach (blame the victim) identifies poverty

following different inherent attributes that an individual has including the person's character

including his life abilities, for example, intelligence. It is to say that individuals are poor due to

their incapability to face others or compete for different resources. Hence, they are caught up in

poverty as well as the effects associated with poverty. For example' the disabled individuals are

restricted to competing for resources. The concept identifies poverty as what an individual is

born with; thus, he or she cannot change his present condition, which is determining the situation

resulting in his or her life. Arguably, the concept does not identify the aptitude of the disabled to

acting on pushing themselves out of poverty. Disabilities merely only end in poverty if a disabled
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person does not want to work on improving his or her situation. In this regard, the person is

comfortable with his or her condition.

A different view of the theory identifies poverty as developed or acquired personality

traits, for instance, one's actions and character. Other individuals are lazy; hence, they are

unwilling to undertake meaningful activities and depend on other people for help. The decisions

that individuals make in their lives, as well as their characters, for example, laziness, could result

in poverty.

The pathological and individualistic approaches poverty blames and explains that an

individual is responsible for his or her poverty. However, it does not identify that in them; these

factors cannot lead to poverty. The theory serves to confirm causal connections, which may in

effect promote and trigger various factors that might push a person into poverty. The notion of

blaming an individual for his poverty following morality is usually identified as a philosophy and

cannot apply in shaping the discussion on poverty concerning development since it lacks proof.

Additionally, people criticize the theory because individuals who might seem to have acquired

the characteristics linked to poverty do not become poor themselves.

External factors influence the structural (blame the system) perspective. Following this

approach, the poor manifest distinct behavioral patterns, which are externally generated because

of their actions. Therefore, these individuals have an unfavorable position within a limiting

social structure. In this sense, the poor act differently not since they have internalized the

prevailing values but lack the chance to identify the values using socially sanctioned avenues.

Social situations and forces determine the chances and courses of life that surround the poor.
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Labor market opportunities, economic growth, as well as a country's educational facilities

offer a framework where the living standards and social relations are shaped and recreated. The

societal structures, which are inherent include the order of social relations, for example, race,

class, gender, and power, which determine people's fate. This is to say that it is the failure of

societal structures, which causes poverty among individuals.

I had an interesting interview. Living below the poverty line demands the household cut

down expenditure, such that money is only spent on essentials. Essentials include food and

water, healthcare, clothing, rent, transportation and gas/electricity. It requires that the household

reduces, or even forgoes non-essentials such as entertainment, pets and other miscellaneous

expenses such as alcohol or parties. It could also include withdrawing daily postal services and

cutting down on internet and phone usage. The basis of determining whether something is

essential or not is a priority, so the household needs to set its priorities right. For instance, a

person who works from home should consider cutting down costs on transportation, since the

money used would most likely be to visit friends. Such a person would prioritize internet for

another who works from an office. Traffic is a priority, and internet from home is not a priority

since it will be mainly used for entertainment.

Poverty lines are defined by the amount of income a family is able to generate compared

to their expenditure, according to government standards. Income below the stipulated amount for

a number of people per household makes the family poor. However, there may not be a clear line

between whether a family should be termed as poor or not because there are two theories that

have been put forward to measure poverty (Berg). One is the relative measure of poverty, which

uses societal standards to assess the minimum needed for a reasonable living situation. Incomes

less than those standards are termed as poor. This measure cannot, however, be used in different
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settings since what the society terms as necessary in one may not be essential in another. The

other measure is the absolute one, which uses a fixed and predetermined amount. The standards

do not measure what the household places as a priority, but the amount of money they earn. It is

an easier one to use since its simply comparing the household budget against the income

(Ravallion).

Conclusion

In conclusion, poverty is either developed or acquired personality traits, for instance,

one's actions and character. Other individuals are lazy; hence, they are unwilling to undertake

meaningful activities and depend on other people for help. The decisions that individuals make

in their lives, as well as their characters, for example, laziness, could result in poverty.
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Works Cited

Alcock, Pete. Understanding Poverty, 3rd ed. (2006) Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke and

NewYork Press

Berg-Weger, M. (2016).Social work and social welfare: An invitation. Routledge.

Information on government benefits. Cited from https://www.usa.gov/benefits

Ravallion, M. (2017).Poverty comparisons.Routledge.

World Bank. Attacking Poverty. World Development Report, World Bank, (2000)

WashingtonDC.